Car-switch-operating mechanism.



G. A. ERRINGTON.

CAR SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1914. RENEWED MAR. 29. 1915.

Patented May 4, 1915.

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GEORGE ARTHUR, ERRINGTON, OF TORONTO ONTARIO, CANADA.

cnn-sw rcn-ornnarnvc MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters l atent.

PatentedMay 4:, 1915.

Application filed June 15, 1914, Serial No. 8453156. Renewed March 29, 1915. Serial No. 17,893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ARTHUR Einnxc'rox, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Switch-Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is the specification. 7

My invention relates to improvements in car switch operating mechanisms as covered in a co-pending application Serial Number 845,149 bearing even date of filing and the object of the present invention is to devise means carried, by the car for engaging the tripping lever to operate the switch point and it consists essentially of a vertical casing carried by the car and having vertical guide ways, a spring held plunger held in such guide-ways adapted to be operated by foot pressure, mechanisms for locking the plunger in the depressed position and means for automatically releasing the same after operating the switch tripping lever as hereinafter more particularly explained by the following specification.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a car vestibule showing my device in position therein. Fig. 2, is a vertical section through the operating mechanisms in the inoperative position. Fig. 3, is a similar view to Fig. 2

showing the device in the operative position.

Fig. 4:, is a side elevation of my operating mechanism. Fig. 5, is a plan view of a switch operated by my device and my device in the position it assumes as it approaches the switch lever. Fig. 6, is a plan section on my Fig. 2.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

A is the car track.

B is a branch line, and C is the switch point.

G is the tripping lever pivoted at G and designed to extend at one end into the tripping box I and to be operatively connected at the other end to the switch point as described in my c0pending application hereinbefore referred to.

M is the ordinary controller casing of the car.

M is a vertical casing located in the car vestibule preferably in proximity to the controller casing M. The casing l is provided with vertical guides M M is a vertically movable member slidably held in position by the guide ribs M of the casing. The member M is normally held in its upper position by the tension springs M M is a notch formed in the member M M is an orifice formed in the casing M.

M is a vertical slot also formed in the casing M beneath the orifice l M is a locking lever provided with an inturned upper end M designed to fit into the notch M when in its locked position. The lower end of the locking lever M extends through a suitable slot in the car floor into proximity with the track.

M is an extension to the member M such extension piece being secured in a cross recess M by set screws M extending through the internally threaded orifices M formed in the member M and through slots M formed in the extension piece M".

M is a vertical slot formed in the casing M and M is a tread plate secured to the member M and extending through the slot 1 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

O is a roller mounted on a vertical hearing carried by the extension 1 9 and designed to engage the tripping lever. O isa roller also carried by the extension M on a horizontal bearing and designed to contact with the ground when the member is depressed as it approaches the tripping box.

0 is a cushioning spring designed to receive the plunger at the limit of its return movement.

Q is a spring cushioning block provided with a laterally extending pin Q which projects into the tripping box I.

In operating my device when the car approaches the switch and it is desired to turn the switch point the motorman places his foot upon the tread M forcing it downwardly carrying the depressible member M and roller 0 thereof into contact with the ground. As soon as the roller 0 reaches the tripping box I it drops thereinto passing longitudinally of the same until the roller 0 contacts with the tripping lever G The tripping lever G is thereby thrown in the direction of arrow so as to operate the switch described in my co-pending application hereinbefore referred to. When the motorman depresses the member M it is locked in its depressed position by the projection M en tering the recess M, the projection M being thrown thereinto by means of the spring 2 located in proximity to the lower end of the locking lever M After the tripping lever has been thrown as above described the lower end of the locking lever strikes against the projection Q, suchprojection slightly giving by means of the cushioning spring to take up the shock. By this operation the upper end of the locking lever formed by the projection l 8 is thrown out of engagement with the recess M and the depressible member is carried upwardly again to its normal position by means of the springs l 4 striking against the cushioning spring 0 at the upward limit of its stroke.

' From this description it will be seen that I have devised a very simple device adapted to be carried by a car whereby an automatic switch operating mechanism having an operating tripping lever extending horizontally in proximity to the track may be operated and which will automatically release so as to return to its normal position when such operation has been completed.

What I claim as my invention is: V

1. In a car switch operating mechanism, a tripping member designed to be carried by the car and comprising a casing located in the car vestibule and having a vertical slot in one side thereof and having an orifice 'located above the slot, a vertically movable spring held member adapted to engage, when depressed, the switch point operating lever extending horizontally in proximity to the .track, a tread plate extending from the spring held member through the slot of the casing, a locking lever pivotally supported in a suitable bracket carried by the depressible member and having an inturned upper end and a depending lower end adapted to engage a suitable projection lying in the pathof the depressed end of the depressible member when the locking lever is carried by the. depressible member to the depressed position, and spring means for forcing the lower end of the locking lever normally out-- wardly from the casing so that when the depressible member is depressed the upper inturned end of the locking lever will be forced through the orifice in the casing into engage ment with the depressible memberv to hold the depressible member in the depressed position, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a car switch operating mechanism, a

when released at the end of its upward stroke, as and for the purpose specified.

, GEORGE ARTHUR ERRINGTON.

Witnesses:

E. PENNOCK, M. EGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'l'atents,

Washington, D. C. 

